The Renault and Volvo Trucks groups are preparing to launch a “multipurpose” electric van in early 2026, developed on a new platform, the two groups announced on Wednesday during a press conference in Boulogne (Hauts-de-Seine).
(AFP / SERGEI GAPON)
Renault sought out Volvo, owner since 2012 of its former subsidiary Renault Trucks, to found the joint venture “Flexis”: it will produce these adaptable light utility vehicles “like Lego” in Sandouville (Seine-Maritime), the Renault Trafic factory. .
Renault and Volvo particularly want to offer an all-in-one product, combining personalized vehicles and services, to large logistics and commercial groups and their fleets of several hundred vehicles.
With two battery sizes for different uses, they will also be sold individually in the Renault and Renault Trucks networks.
The CMA CGM logistics group joined the joint venture with 10% of the capital and an investment of up to 120 million euros, and will be one of the first to test 1,500 vans, said group boss Rodolphe Saadé.
With the sector’s incipient electrification, and several startups already on the move, “the situation is conducive to ‘disruption’,” said Renault CEO Luca de Meo. “I was able to convince Rodolphe in twenty minutes (…) he is perhaps the Tesla of utility vehicles”.
The partners have revealed the first sketches of this family of small utility vehicles designed for urban delivery, the size of a small Renault Kangoo, but with the loading capacity of a larger utility vehicle, according to Luca de Meo.
While these vehicles remain much more expensive to purchase than their diesel equivalents, partners should “reduce the cost of use by 20 or 30%”, according to Mr. de Meo.
“There is no similar project in Europe, but a few in Asia or the United States,” underlined the boss of Volvo Trucks, Martin Lundstedt.
“We also know that Asian competition is increasingly strong,” added Rodolphe Saadé. “It’s about being ready from the first days of 2026”, with a “competitive” vehicle, he stressed.
The two car manufacturers are to invest together 600 million euros and will each own 45% of Flexis. They remain open to other investments, their leaders stressed. Renault is in particular in discussions with its partner Nissan, which already markets Losange utility vehicles under its brand.
The announcement on March 29 of the location of production of future FlexEvan vans in the French Sandouville factory to supply Flexis was accompanied by a promise of 550 hires in four years and 330 million euros in revenue. investment for this historic Renault site, where 1,850 people and 600 temporary workers already work.